If a woodchuck could ride a bike, just how much power would it take for that woodchuck to be mediocre as a cat 3 bike racer?

10 May 2009

2009 May 10 Berkeley Hills Road Race

CTL: 108TSB: -10

Last year I did the 4's and was in better shape and six pounds lighter and got dropped before we got to the top of the first big hill. This year I got in the 35+ 4's.

The first 37 minutes with a different field this year went exactly the same - we rode at a really easy pace to the bottom of the first big hill. Then the pace went up to a moderate level, about 4.6 w/kg for the three minutes to the top, a little easier than last year with the 4's. There was a small gap to the pack and about ten riders spread out over the road, with about six or seven between me and the pack, so I assumed I could just use the riders in front of me to get back onto the pack but this never happened. We got back within fifty meters at the base of the finish hill and then I tried to bridge up and blew. Oddly, this 0.7 of a lap was pretty easy in the big scheme of things, not sure why I could not keep up. Went harder for a longer period of time at the track on Friday - or maybe that explains things. :) Anyways did another lap chasing with various riders from my field and at the start of the last lap, hit a seam or pothole on the little bridge before the school, thought I flatted, then assumed I got lucky as I passed a couple of riders with flats, then realized my rear tire was feeling very squishy. Since this happened right next to the boat ramp/parking lot, just pulled out and saved my efforts for another day.